Archive for August, 2012

It’s a holiday weekend! Three glorious days off, but not all of us can rest. Nope, the FUNimation Channel Shop is going to be working double time and offering 5 incredibly awesome titles at $15 each throughout this weekend. Sale will start today (Friday) at 6pm EDT and will go through Tuesday at 9am EDT. So, take a look below at the titles on sale and click this link! Sorry Canada, this sale is only available in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

So stay tuned, fans! Also, if you’ve been watching Casshern Sins on Toonami and you haven’t picked up the series yet, this is a great opportunity to own the entire series for just $30!

Freezing released this week on BD/DVD Combo, and I know you’re all wondering who won our fun little caption contest (click this link to see what we’re talking about.) Well, you guys really outdid yourselves! Some of these had us laughing so hard that other co-workers walking by thought we’d lost it. Thanks to everyone who entered! Take a look below for the winners and their prize-winning captions!

“Okay, I’m using you as a flotation device.” -Kenneth A. (Santa Rosa, CA)

Day 4

“Please, violence is not going to help the clothing budget get better.” -Jana B. (Belton, TX)

Day 5

“Public nudity, I choose you!” -Sera G. (Winfield, IL)

And our Grand Prize winner was randomly chosen from all the entries, so congratulations to Clarissa S. from Simi Valley, CA!

To all of our winners, your prizes will be mailed out to you shortly. To everyone else, be sure to get your copy of Freezing, available now on BD/DVD Combo!

series synopsis:

The masters of action-oriented fan service who brought you Ikki Tousen are back with a brutally busty bloodletting that Anime New Networks calls “lewd and sadistic!” Eager to follow in the footsteps of his fallen sister, Kazuya enrolls at West Genetics Academy, a training facility for buxom heroes known as Pandoras. These courageous schoolgirls are genetically-enhanced with enough sex appeal to cripple a man – and the superhuman strength to slaughter aliens by the dozen. Kazuya’s role is that of Limiter, a Pandora’s battle partner, and he quickly sets his sights on the most feared beauty in school, Satellizer el Brigette. This full-figured annihilator of aliens is as desirable as she is deadly, but rubbing her the wrong way could lead to gross bodily harm. Can Kazuya forge a bond with his new partner and rise to the top of the ranks at West Genetics? Or will he fall victim to the mysterious bloodlust lurking within Satellizer?

So, did you like this caption contest? What do you think of the winning entries? Think you can do better? You won’t get any prizes, other than the satisfaction of a job well done, but we’d still like to see them. So go ahead and post them in the comments below this post.

Freezing hits streets next week, and to mark its release we’re having a fun little contest. We’ll post a different screenshot from the show each day this week and have fans send their best caption for the scene. This could either be epic, or go horribly, horribly wrong…but either way, it should be a lot of fun!

We will choose a winning caption for each day. Best captions will be chosen by FUNimation staff. A grand prize winner will also be selected at random from all entrants on the final day.

Daily Prizes (Winners chosen will receive one of the following):

1 Set of signed Freezing postcards

1 of 2 Signed Freezing poster

1 of 2 Signed artbooks

Grand prize:

1 signed artbook

1 signed poster

1 signed postcard pair

1 set of unsigned playing cards

1 set of Freezing file folders

1 Freezing keychain

How can you enter? Simple! Just e-mail your caption to [email protected] with the subject line “Freezing Contest: Caption This!” You’re encouraged to also post your captions in the comments below this blog post; however, only those submitted through e-mail will be valid.

The masters of action-oriented fan service who brought you Ikki Tousen are back with a brutally busty bloodletting that Anime New Networks calls “lewd and sadistic!” Eager to follow in the footsteps of his fallen sister, Kazuya enrolls at West Genetics Academy, a training facility for buxom heroes known as Pandoras. These courageous schoolgirls are genetically-enhanced with enough sex appeal to cripple a man – and the superhuman strength to slaughter aliens by the dozen. Kazuya’s role is that of Limiter, a Pandora’s battle partner, and he quickly sets his sights on the most feared beauty in school, Satellizer el Brigette. This full-figured annihilator of aliens is as desirable as she is deadly, but rubbing her the wrong way could lead to gross bodily harm. Can Kazuya forge a bond with his new partner and rise to the top of the ranks at West Genetics? Or will he fall victim to the mysterious bloodlust lurking within Satellizer?

As a special treat, enjoy this interview with the ladies of Freezing – Jamie Marchi and Caitlin Glass!

We’ve got a certain cast announcement for you. Magical, even. If you’re an EVS member then you already heard this earlier today. But, for the rest of you this is new news. How can you get news before everyone else? Sign up for your free trial today at http://funimation.com/subscribe.

So, let’s get down to it and see who’s in the English Dub Cast for A Certain Magical Index!

CHARACTER

Actor

ACCELERATOR

Austin Tindle

AUREOLUS

Jason Liebrecht

HIMEGAMI

Lindsay Seidel

HITOTSUI

Mike McFarland

INDEX

Monica Rial

KAMIJO

Micah Solusod

KANZAKI

Morgan Garrett

KAZAKIRI

Alexis Tipton

KOMOE

Jād Saxton

KUROKO

Alison Viktorin

LAST ORDER

Brittney Karbowski

MIKOTO

Brittney Karbowski

PIERCE

Scott Freeman

SHERRY

Stephanie Young

STIYL

Robert McCollum

TOYA

Christopher R. Sabat

TSUCHIMIKADO

Newton Pittman

YOMIKAWA

Martha Harms

YOSHIKAWA

Caitlin Glass

Series Synopsis:

Science and sorcery make for an explosive mix in A Certain Magical Index, an enthralling experiment in sci-fi adventure from the studio that brought you Toradora and Slayers Revolution!

Kamijo is a student in Academy City, where people use science to develop supernatural abilities. The guy’s got a lot of heart – luckily for a young nun named Index. She’s on the run from a sorcery society that covets the astonishing 103,000 volumes of magical knowledge stored in her memory. When Index stumbles into Kamijo’s life, she find a faithful friend and protector, and while Kamijo’s easily the weakest kid in Academy City, he’s got something else going for him: the Imagine Breaker, an unexplainable power stored in his right hand that negates the powers of others. With scientists and sorcerers attacking from all sides, the Imagine Breaker will definitely come in handy – but it’s Kamijo’s loyalty to Index that will be his greatest weapon in the fight to keep her safe.

You can place your order now for the DVD, available on 10.30.12! Now here’s your first look at the A Certain Magical Index trailer.

It’s no secret that a lot of anime fans are also K-Pop fans. Just walk around any anime convention and you’ll see cosplayers dancing to “Gee” by Girls Generation, or one of the many popularSuper Junior dances, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

This year, Otakon was able to book the up-and-coming K-Pop group VIXX, and we were lucky enough to get an interview! Unfortunately, we weren’t able to film the interview, but here are a few excerpts below:

FUNimation: You debuted in May and now you’re performing in the U.S. What has that experience been like?

VIXX: Our American friends here gave us great joy on stage. They made being on stage so fun for us. So, we are so grateful for that.

FUNimation: FUNimation handles anime like Dragon Ball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist, and One Piece in the U.S. Do you watch anime? If so, what are some of your favorites?

VIXX: One Piece! I really like One Piece. Especially, Chopper. I can even draw some of the One Piece characters. We also like Evangelion, Gundam, and Naruto.

We couldn’t resist having them record our slogan, which they were kind enough to do. So, thank you N, Leo, Ken, Ravi, HongBin, and Hyuk!

Turns out that the VIXX mascot/logo is anime inspired! The VIXX Robot, ROVIX, was created by Charles Chang. ROVIX is an homage to all robots. He has Taekwon V eyes, Gundam’s V, Mazinger Z’s Mask, and Grendizer’s horn. ROVIX is made with all the best parts of the robots, and symbolizes how the 6 members of VIXX gathered and became a group. Apparently, his birthday is June 20th and he can speak Korean, English, Japanese, and is in the process of learning Chinese. Pretty ambitious robot!

For more from their trip to Otakon, check out their VIXX TV episode 9 here. Check out minute 5:24! Chopper makes a guest appearance!

If you want to learn more about VIXX you can follow them on their official channels:

ONE PIECE Licensor Toei Animation Will Be Content Partner For New Console-Based 24-Hour Anime Channel Launching On PS3 And Playstation Network

San Francisco, CA, August 21, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, continues the digital anime convergence as it announces that Toei Animation, with FUNimation® Entertainment acting as the agent, has licensed the celebrated pirate anime action/adventure series, ONE PIECE, for broadcast on Neon Alley, the new 24-hour anime channel VIZ Media launching this Fall exclusively to the Playstation Network and the PS3 game console. Episodes to air on Neon Alley will be presented uncut and with dubbed English dialogue.

Neon Alley, featuring the world’s best anime titles all dubbed and uncut in English and presented in HD (when available), is the first platform designed to be studio agnostic, with a diverse array of titles from other leading anime producers and distributors. Programming will include weekly exclusive premieres of hit titles fans love, alongside a mix of new, cutting edge titles they didn’t know they were missing. Neon Alley will be a subscription-based service, subsidized with limited commercial advertising to keep the launch price to consumers at a low $6.99 per month.

“We’re excited to partner with Toei and FUNimation to bring the smash hit ONE PIECE to fans across North America on Neon Alley,” says Brian Ige, Vice President, Animation. “Fans should stay tuned for the Neon Alley launch date and programming details, and prepare to set sail with Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat pirates this Fall!”

ONE PIECE is based on a massively popular manga (graphic novel) series created by Eiichiro Oda, that is also published in North America by VIZ Media (rated ‘T’ for Teens). In the venerable anime adventure, Monkey D. Luffy refuses to let anyone or anything stand in the way of his quest to become king of all pirates. With a course charted for the treacherous waters of the Grand Line, this is one captain who’ll never drop anchor until he’s claimed the greatest treasure on Earth – the Legendary One Piece!

About Toei Animation Inc.
TOEI ANIMATION has been distributing its popular Japanese Animation films and derivative character licensing through local partners all over American regions for over 13 years. TOEI ANIMATION INCORPORATED (TAI) established in Los Angeles in March 2004, looks forward to spreading the world-renowned Japanese animation studio’s extensive library and pursuing co-production projects in North and Latin America and other English-speaking territories worldwide. The main business operations of TAI include film licensing in all media and emerging platforms, merchandise licensing and co-productions with local establishments. Visit www.toei-anime.co.jp/english/index.html.

About FUNimation® Entertainment
FUNimation® Entertainment is the leading anime company in North America. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands. They manage a full spectrum of rights for most of their brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visitwww.funimation.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

On a scale of 1 to EXPLOSIVE, she’s dynamite! Between girls with guns vs. girls with swords, we’ll take girls with guns AND swords. Two of each in fact. Aria: The Scarlet Ammo will be available on BD/DVD Combo on 10.23.12. You can pre-order the series nowon Amazon.com! But, you probably want to know who’s in the English Dub Cast, am I right? Well, just take a look below! You can also get a sneak peek at the dub and watch the trailer!

series synopsis:

Aria is a volatile girl who wields two pistols and two swords and holds the highest rank in assault studies at a high school for young mercenaries. This pint-sized prodigy swoops in to save her classmate Kinji from a high-speed chase, but he ends up saving her after he switches from a boring wimp into a total hot shot! His secret? He only turns into something of a James Bond when he’s turned on! Convinced Kinji’s an ace, Aria strong-arms him into being her partner—but she isn’t the only femme fatale who wants a taste of his coveted combat skills. Aria gets Kinji for one mission, but he’ll end up with more than one finger on his trigger!

By now you may have heard that we will be premiering theShakugan no Shana Movie at Anime Revolution instead of Fafner: The Movie as originally planned. You’re probably also curious about the English Dub Cast. Well, since Season One was originally dubbed by Geneon, we will not be re-dubbing Season One. So, this cast list below is for Season Two, the OVAs, and the Movie. We think the new cast does an amazing job, and you’ll be able to hear them for the first time here! Watch this clip from Season Two below.

Some of you may have noticed that the eagerly anticipatedShakugan no Shana Season Two Part 1 & Part 2 releases have been delayed, but that’s because we’re packing the release full of EXTRAS! Including the animated specials of: Why? What? Shana! Ask Anything Question Box (aka Naze Nani Shana), and Shakugan no Shana-tan. So while there may be a bit of a wait, it’s all so we could make the release just a little more special for all of you.

To tide you over until December, don’t forget that Shakugan no Shana Season One is available for the first time on Blu-ray next week! So you can watch the scorching saga all over again from the beginning, but now in glorious High Definition!

Are your mobile devices looking a little, well, naked? Well, now you can cover them in anime!

FUNimation has partnered with skinit.com to bring you these kick-ass anime skins for your mobile devices. iPhones, iPad, Nintendo 3DS, laptops and more can now be covered with Dragon Ball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist & Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Hetalia.

But we want to make sure to kick off this partnership right, so skinit.com is offering all FUNimation skins for 20% off from now until the end of September.

Just enter the code “SKINITFUN” to claim your discount. This offer is only good until the end of September, so if you want Goku on your iPhone you better hurry.

So what do you think? What other series would you like to see made into a skin?

From now until the end of August, Sony will be having a HUGE anime sale on their Video Unlimited service. That’s right, consumers can purchase the following titles at a huge discount for this entire month:

Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker

Trigun: Badlands Rumble

Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Sacred Star of Milos

Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

Cat Planet Cuties

Casshern Sins

FLCL

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – OVAs and Comic Theater

Gantz

Gungrave

Sekirei: Pure Engagement

Soul Eater

Fairy Tail

Heaven’s Lost Property

Fractale

Princess Jellyfish

To access the Anime Sale on your PlayStation®3 system:

From the PlayStation®Network icon on the XMB™, select PlayStation®Store

Enter the video store from the ‘Video’ icon located in the upper left corner of the screen

Be sure to check out the Sony Video Unlimited store today for these awesome discounts! For more information, please click this link to see the Sony blog post. You can also visit this link for more details on the Video Unlimited service.